Control means for tractorconnected implements



May l2, l953 R. D. Ac'roN 2,638,046

CONTROL MEANS FOR TRACTOR-CONNECTED IMPLEMENTS original Filed Mrcn 22, 1944 PMC). Aig

Patented May l2, i953 CONTROL MEANS FOR TRACTOR- CONNECTED MPLEMENTS Russel D. Acton, Chicago, Ill., assgnor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application March Z2, 1944, Serial No. 52S,672.f Divided and this application April 20, 1946, Serial No. 663,713

(Cl. STL-46.27)

Z Claims.

rihis application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 528,672, filed March 22, 1944, now U. |S. Patent No. 2,410,918, issued November 12, 1946.

This invention relates to a control means for a tractor-connected implement. More specifically it relates to fluid-pressure means for controlling a trail-behind implement from a tractor.

It is known to provide a tractor-connected implement with a fluid-power device for adjusting and controlling the implement, the device being actuated by the power of the tractor. With such an arrangement there is normally a hose for luid running from the 'tractor to the implement. The disadvantage is that when the implement is disconnected from the tractor the iiuidpower means must also be disconnected from the implement or from the tractor or from both, and this normally requires a disconnection of a line or conduit through which fluid is passed. With the break of a fluid line there is considerable danger of loss of the duid. In the present invention the huid-power means is removed without breaking of the fluid-carrying line.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved control means for a tractor-con nected implement.

A further object is the provision of an improved pressure-uid means for adjusting a tractor-connected implement from the tractor.

According to the present invention, a special detachable unit comprising a 'l'lrst cylinder` with a piston therein, a. second cylinder with a piston therein, and a connecting conduit is mounted so that one cylinder is upon a tractor and the other cylinder is upon an implement connected to 'the tractor. The piston in the cylinder on the tractor is shifted in the cylinder by power derived from the tractor power plant acting through external mechanical means on the tractor. An adjustable mounting means for one of the cylinders makes it possible to shift this cylinder relatively to the piston therein to change the phase oi relative positions of the implement part and the external mechanical means on the tractor. When the implement is to be disconnected from the tractor, the one cylinder is disconnected from the implement, and the disconnection of the cylinder and the piston on the tractor `from the source oi tractor power is made at the external mechanical means through which power is supplied to the cylinder of the piston. Thus, there is no disconnection through a fluid line, and the disadvantages of such a disconnection are avoided.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side View of a tractor with parts removed, and a plow (shown fragmentarily) connected at the rear o the tractor;

Figure 2 is a detail view showing parts of the special unit of the present invention by which 'the plow is adjusted from the tractor.

Reference character I designates a tractor having a body Il, rear axle I2, and rear wheels it of which only one is shown. A plow 33 is coupled to the tractor in a manner to be towed thereby.

The tractor lil carries a draw-bar 32-1I to which the plow 33 is connected. The plow 33 comprises beams 34, plow bottoms 35 (one being shown) respectively mounted on said beams,

wheels tt and :il connected to the beams :by cranks 39 and d. The cranks are interconnected by means of a link 2. Figure 1 shows the plow bottoms in working position. When the plow is to be transported, the cranks 39 and it through which the wheels are connected are swung with respect to the plow beams 34 so that the beams are raised. Raising of the plow to transport position is accomplished by a special unit now to be described.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, this unit comprises a cylinder with a piston 46 slidable therein, a cylinder 4l with a piston 48 slidable therein, a spring i9 urging the piston 48 into the position shown in Figure 2, and a conduit 5t connecting the two cylinders. The cylinder t7 is connected to the plow 33, as indicated at 5l. A rod 52 connected with the piston 43 extends from the cylinder il and is connected at 53 with a bell crank till pivoted at on a bracket 56 secured to the plow beams 34. 'I'he bell crank 55 is connected with the crank axle 39 by a link 5l.

The piston rod El of the ram 45-45 is pivotally connected to a tractor-actuated power-driven means in the forni of a crank 61 which is selectively controllable ior effecting operating excursions between extreme positions apart by mechanical or by fluid power means, as shown in thepatent to Johnston 2,039,891, May 5, 1936. Fluid, as indicated at B6, is contained in the cylinder 45, the conduit 50, and the cylinder 47. By virtue of the connection between the powerdriven means or arm B1 and the piston 4G in the cylinder 45, movement of the arm S'l from the extreme left position of Figure 1 serves to move the piston 46 from the extreme left position of Figure 2. As the piston 46 moves from this position, the fluid 66 is forced from the cylinder l5 through the hose 50 into the cylinder 41, and the piston 48 is moved to the right against the action of the spring 49. Thus, the crank axles 39 and 40 are caused to rotate so that the plow 33 is raised. When the plow is to be lowered, the power-driven arm 6l is moved to the left and the piston 46 to the left. Thus, the piston :'46 may also move to the left under the action of the spring t9 and the weight of the plow bottoms 35, and the plow bottoms 35 are permitted to engage the ground again.

The cylinders 45 and 4l with their pistons and rods and the conduit 50 may be considered as a special unit which is disconnectable from the tractor l and the plow 33, as shown in Figure 2. All that is required for this disconnection is the disconnection of the cylinder 4l from the point 5i on the plow, the disconnection oi the rod 52 from the bell crank 5d, the disconnection of the cylinder lit from the pivot pin at 63 on the crank 69, and the disconnection of the rod El from the arm 61. without a breaking of the fluid line.

With this type of actuating means the crank 6l can be locked or held only in two extreme positions, and thus for an adjustment of the positions between which the plow or other implement connected to the tractor can be shifted, a shifting of the cylinder 55 is required. As seen in Figure l, the cylinder liii is connected at tt to one arm of a bell crank 69 pivoted atV 'it on the tractor draw-bar tti-JH. The other crm of the bell crank 69 is connected to a nut 'i2 threaded upon a crank i3 adjustably secured to the drawbar il by nuts M. By means oi' crank i3 there may be a lowering or raising ci the one cf the bell crank 69 and a horizontal shifting of the other arm of the bell crank t0 to which the cylinder i5 is attached. Thus, for the two efrn treme positions of the crank 6! there is adjustment of the extreme positions of the piston. 0,6

within the cylinder iii and an adjustment of the extreme positions of the piston within the cylinder il on the implement.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a novel type of means has been devised ior the controlling of a tractor-connected implement from the tractor. rl"his means is composed of a special huid-pressure unit which is readily disconnectable irom both tractor and implement without the breaking of a iiuid line. The feature of making possible the disconnection of the unit without the breaking of the iiuid line is the actuation of the unit by tractor power., if desired, through an external mechanical means. The disconnection of the unit from the force-applying means is eiiected in or at the external mechanical mea-ns, and thus breaking of the iiuid line be- 0 comes unnecessary. Force is applied to the unit in such a way that the implement adjusted by the unit will be held in any one of a plurality o1' intermediate positions. Force may be applied in this Way because the part of the special unit connected to the tractor is so connected as to be `bodily shiftable with respect to the tractor.

Having thus described a single preferred embodiment of the invention with the View of clearly and concisely illustrating the same., I claim:

l. In combination, a tractor including powerdriven means selectively controllable for effecting operating excursions between opposite limitsl of a range of movement, an implement connected to the tractor and including a frame and an implement adjusting part adjustable on said rlhus, removal of the unit is possible frame, a readily detachable unit for adjusting the implement part by force applied by the tractor, said unit comprising a rst device mounted upon the tractor and including a cylinder member and ay piston member slidable therein, a second device mounted upon the implement and including a cylinder member and a piston member slidable therein, a flexible conduit connecting the devices, and force-transmitting means confined by said cond-uit and engaging said piston members, securing means for mounting one member of said second device on the implement frame, means connecting the other member of the second device and the implement part, securing means for mounting one or" said members of the first device on the tractor, means connecting the powerdriven means with the other member of the iirst device for shifting the same together with one member of the second device for adjusting the imp-lement part, and manual means for adjusting one of the securing means for bodily adjustnient of the one member or" one of the associated of said devices to thereby alter the range ol movement transmitted to the implement part.

2. In combination, a tractor having a power plant, an adjustable implement connected to the tractor and including a frame and an implement part adjustable on Said frame, a readily detachable unit for adjusting the implement by force applied at the tractor, said unit comprising a 1li-st device located on the tractor and composed of a cylinder member and a plunger member slidablc therein, a second device mounted upon the implement and composed of a second cylinder member and a second plunger member slidable therein, a flexible conduit connecting the devices, and means confined by the conduit i'or transmitting :'orce from one plunger member to the other plunger member, means connecting the members of the second device respectively with the implement frame and implement part, external powerdriven means connected with the plunger mei ber of the first device and operable for shifting the same and therewith the 'plunge` member of the second device for adjusting the implement, power means connecting the external powerdriven means and the tractor power plant and being shiftable to a plurality of positions for operating said external power-driven means, and means mounting the cylinder of the iirst device on the tractor, said mounting means being manipulatable for adjusting the rst device cylinder relatively to the tractor and to the plunger therein to eiiectr movement of the plunger in the second device and thereby modify the operating phase of the implement part with respect to` that of the external power-driven means pursuant to subsequent operating excursions o said power-driven means.

RUSSEL D. ACTON. 

